Chapter 3: The Woman He Never Stopped Loving
Chapter 3: The Woman He Never Stopped Loving
The black Rolls-Royce sped through the rain-soaked streets long after midnight.
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Alexander Sterling sat in the back seat with Sophia asleep against his shoulder.
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She had refused to let go of his hand.
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Even in her dreams, her tiny fingers clung to him as if she feared he would disappear again.
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Alexander gently brushed a strand of tangled blonde hair away from her face.
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She looked so much like Emily.
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The same soft features.
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The same stubborn chin.
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The same innocent heart.
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His chest tightened.
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How many birthdays had he missed?
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How many scraped knees had he never kissed?
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How many bedtime stories had another empty night replaced?
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He had spent six years believing his wife had abandoned him.
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Now he knew the truth.
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Someone had stolen those years from all three of them.
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Daniel sat in the front passenger seat, quietly studying the file in his lap.
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"Sir."
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Alexander looked up.
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"Tell me everything."
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Daniel nodded.
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"We located Mrs. Sterling three days ago."
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"Why didn't you tell me?"
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Daniel hesitated.
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"Because Mrs. Victoria Sterling ordered every investigation involving Emily to be reported directly to her."
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Alexander's eyes hardened.
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"And?"
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"She informed previous investigators that she would handle the matter personally."
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"Most assumed you already knew."
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Alexander slowly clenched his fists.
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"My own security team."
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Daniel lowered his head.
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"She controlled everyone."
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Alexander looked back out the rain-covered window.
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Not anymore.
.
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Forty minutes later, the Rolls-Royce entered East Brook.
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Luxury hotels disappeared behind them.
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Towering office buildings gave way to abandoned warehouses.
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Streetlights flickered.
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Graffiti covered cracked brick walls.
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Broken shopping carts rested beside overflowing dumpsters.
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Several homeless families huddled beneath torn blankets.
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Sophia quietly opened her eyes.
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"Daddy?"
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"I'm here."
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She rubbed her sleepy eyes.
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"Are we going home?"
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Alexander smiled gently.
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"Yes."
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"We're bringing Mommy home."
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Sophia's eyes instantly filled with hope.
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"Really?"
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"You promise?"
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Alexander kissed her forehead.
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"I promise."
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She smiled for the first time that night.
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It was a small smile.
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But it carried enough hope to break his heart.
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The limousine stopped in front of a decaying apartment building.
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Paint peeled from every wall.
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Several windows had been covered with cardboard.
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Water dripped steadily through the damaged roof.
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A faded sign read:
Riverside Apartments
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Daniel looked uneasy.
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"This is the address."
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Alexander stared at the building.
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Emily had once dreamed of designing children's hospitals.
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She had graduated at the top of her architecture class.
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She loved sunlight.
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She loved gardens.
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She believed every child deserved a beautiful place to grow up.
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Now she lived here.
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The hallway smelled of mildew and old pipes.
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The lights flickered every few seconds.
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Sophia slipped her tiny hand into Alexander's.
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"I know the way."
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She led him upstairs.
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First floor.
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Second floor.
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Third floor.
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Finally...
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Apartment 312.
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Sophia smiled.
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"Mommy's home."
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Before Alexander could knock...
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He heard coughing.
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Violent.
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Painful.
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The kind of cough that came from someone who had been sick for far too long.
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His heart stopped.
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Sophia knocked softly.
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"Mommy."
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"It's me."
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A weak voice answered from inside.
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"One second, sweetheart."
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Alexander froze.
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He had imagined hearing Emily's voice thousands of times over the past six years.
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Nothing prepared him for the real thing.
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The door slowly opened.
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Emily stood there.
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For several seconds...
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Neither of them moved.
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She was almost unrecognizable.
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Her face had become painfully thin.
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Dark circles surrounded her once-bright green eyes.
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Her chestnut hair, once long and silky, had been cut unevenly just above her shoulders.
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She wore an oversized sweater with several small holes stitched by hand.
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Her wedding ring was still on her finger.
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Alexander noticed it immediately.
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Emily looked at Sophia first.
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Then...
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Her eyes slowly lifted toward Alexander.
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Everything fell silent.
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The hallway.
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The rain.
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Even the world outside seemed to disappear.
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Emily blinked once.
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Then twice.
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She whispered only one word.
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"Alexander?"
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Her voice sounded fragile.
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Almost afraid.
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As though speaking his name might cause him to vanish.
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Alexander could barely breathe.
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"Emily."
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Tears instantly filled her eyes.
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She took one small step backward.
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"No."
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"This isn't real."
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"I've dreamed this too many times."
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She closed her eyes tightly.
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"When I wake up..."
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"...you'll be gone again."
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Alexander slowly stepped forward.
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"I'm real."
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Emily shook her head.
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"No."
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"Your mother said you hated me."
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"She said you signed the divorce papers."
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"She said you were engaged."
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"She said Sophia wasn't welcome in your life."
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Every sentence struck Alexander harder than the last.
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"I never said any of that."
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Emily looked completely confused.
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"But..."
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"She showed me your signature."
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Alexander frowned.
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"What signature?"
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Emily walked to an old wooden table.
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She carefully opened a worn envelope.
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Inside was a single document.
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She handed it to him with trembling hands.
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Alexander read the first page.
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His blood ran cold.
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It was a divorce agreement.
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His name appeared neatly signed at the bottom.
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He stared at it.
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Then looked at Emily.
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"I never signed this."
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Emily frowned.
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"What?"
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"This signature is forged."
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The room became completely silent.
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Emily slowly covered her mouth.
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"No..."
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Alexander turned another page.
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His breathing became heavier.
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There was another forged document.
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A custody agreement.
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Another.
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A property settlement.
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Another.
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A letter supposedly written by him.
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Emily, I no longer love you.
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Please stop contacting me.
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Alexander felt his vision blur.
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He had never written those words.
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Not even once.
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Emily stared at him.
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"If..."
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"If you didn't send those..."
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"...then who did?"
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Alexander already knew the answer.
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He slowly folded the papers.
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His voice was colder than Emily had ever heard.
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"My mother."
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At that exact moment...
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A loud knock echoed through the apartment.
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Everyone froze.
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Another knock followed.
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Much harder this time.
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Then a woman's voice came from the hallway.
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"Emily."
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"I know he's inside."
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"Open the door."
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Alexander instantly recognized the voice.
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May you like
Victoria Sterling had found them.
End of Chapter 3
